A Flame for Christmas
by SpenceSince1993
Summary: One-Shot Christmas Special. Bella's house catches fire around Christmas and Jasper is the fire fighter to help.


_**Story idea came to be after a conversation my sister and I had about Jasper showing up at a fire wearing only the bottom half of a fireman's uniform and the bright red suspenders over top of his extremely toned chest, his hands on his hips proclaiming loudly "Jasper to the rescue! I'll save you!" That's right, I wouldn't ask if I were you, either.**_

**Bella's POV:**

Christmas was a week away and I was currently staring at the small house I'd until an hour ago called home as the fire that destroyed it slowly died down.

Let me start at the beginning.

I'm Bella Swan. I'm 24 years old with mousy brown hair, plain brown eyes and at 4'11" I'm what my friend Rose calls the epitome of short. I'm a teacher in Port Angeles, Washington- I teach first graders and I love my job.

My home was on the outskirts of town and I had only moved into it in the middle of November.

The firefighters said I was lucky to get out with my life and with my puppy Rosie, a purebred Chihuahua puppy my big brother Emmett had gotten me for my last birthday. She was mostly black with a tiny bit of beige on her face and threaded through the black on her legs and white on her chest and half of her neck.

I **had** been lucky and I knew that. When I had been startled awake it wasn't because of my fire alarm but because of the desperate howls of my hyperactive puppy. In my state of being half asleep I'd thought she might have to go outside but was quickly jarred as I sucked in a breath of heavy, acrid smoke instead of clean air.

Without a second thought I raced to the laundry room where Rosie was locked during the night, for some reason I wasn't sure of I'd put her in there last night. Normally she would have been free to roam the house but as I scooped her into my arms and ran to the front door I was glad she hadn't been. I would never have found her in time if she'd hidden because of the fire.

By the time I made it halfway across my yard I realized I could already hear sirens getting closer and I paused to look back. The door I had just ran from, now had flames licking at its edges and smoke billowed from a couple of blown out windows.

I collapsed against a tree and hugged Rosie tightly, petting her head furiously. I couldn't even feel the cold of the snow the way I should have, I was only wearing a pair of boxers and a light camisole after all and I noted that I was probably in shock.

I was racked with uncontrollable sobs when the dark red fire engine appeared from the darkness and the people who had ridden in on it like a cavalry coming to the rescue got to work.

A man in one of the bright yellow suits ran to me and crouched in front of me gently shaking me so I would look up at him.

He must have asked something because he was looking at me expectantly and I felt myself shaking wildly.

He kept his hands on my shoulders and steadied me slightly.

"Ma'am" He started and I took note of his southern drawl, hardly able to concentrate. He lifted my chin so I was looking him in the eyes "Is there anyone else inside the building?"

I shook my head no and he spoke into a walkie talkie rapidly before asking "Are you alright ma'am? What's your name?"

"B-B-Bella" I said shakily and he suddenly scooped me into his arms easily.

"Okay Bella," He said soothingly "My friends are going to take care of the fire. I'm taking you over to the paramedics to get looked over."

"Rosie?" I asked and my voice didn't sound at all like my own.

"Your puppy?" He asked and I nodded.

"She looks alright," He reassured "You can see about taking her to a vet later but first you need to be looked over."

As we walked under the street light that lit up my front door I finally got a good look at my saviour. He had golden blond hair that was obviously curly and came to just above his chin, and calming sea blue eyes. He looked deep in concentration but if I wasn't mistaken I saw worry just behind that calm in his eyes. He tried to give me a reassuring smile as he put me down in front of the ambulance but it came out strained.

He waited until the paramedics started checking me over before turning to leave and I clued in to the fact that I didn't know his name. "Wait!" I called over the crazy amount of noise surrounding me "What's your name?"

"Jasper," He said but kept walking briskly to help his friends.

**Jasper's POV:**

The bells at the station had clanged loudly at 2:35 and I leapt out of bed racing down the poles that connected the top floor of the fire station to the bottom and was already half way into my gear before I was fully awake.

Our dispatcher spoke over the CB radio in our fire engine as we started it up "House fire on Allegny Way. Neighbour was up to go to the washroom and noticed flames. No information on who lives there except they only moved in last month."

We were at the fire within 5 minutes and while my buddies raced to control the burgeoning flames I noticed a tiny figure huddled in the snow against a tree about 20 feet from the side of the house.

I ran to it and discovered it was a young woman, my guess was maybe 22 or 23, wearing only a pair of boxers and a tank top rocking back and forth and clutching at a small dog that was very obviously still a puppy.

I managed to get her to tell me if there was anyone else in the house and scooped her into my arms easily to take her over to the paramedics. I doubted she could walk on her own at this point, the shock had clearly settled in.

As I carried her I glanced over her soft features. She was tiny, probably just a tiny bit older than my original estimate, had luscious brown locks that came past her shoulders even while pulled back and currently unfocused chocolate eyes.

I left her in the capable hands of my friends Peter and Charlotte and headed into the fray to help out as best I could.

It took almost two hours for us to get the fire under control and Bella, as she'd told me earlier, had refused to go to the hospital and had instead dropped in at her neighbour, Angela's house.

We were starting to pack the truck up and I saw Bella standing at the edge of her property watching us all intently. She was a little more sensibly dressed now although it was in clothes far too big for her tiny frame and my pal Topher waved me towards her and I nodded my thanks.

It was cold out and I could see her breath as she approached me slowly.

"Thank you," She whispered shyly glancing at her feet as she shifted nervously.

"I'm sorry we couldn't save your home Bella," I said softly truly regretful of this fact when suddenly she raced at me and buried her face in my chest.

"Hey, hey," I rubbed the back of the woman I had only met hours before yet felt a pull to slowly making gentle shushing noises before continuing "It's going to be okay. Do you have anyone you can call?"

"Just my brother but he's in London right now at some conference," She sobbed.

"Your parents?" I asked cautiously not wanting to upset her further.

"Gone," She shook her head "My mom died in an accident when I was nine and my dad was killed on duty last year. Angela said I could stay with her for a few days."

"That's good," I nodded decisively. I had been worried about her being alone so close to Christmas. "There's going to be an investigation to discover what started the fire and you'll have to get in touch with your insurance in the morning but really the most important thing is you are safe."

"That's what the paramedics said," She snorted slightly and wiped furiously at her wet cheeks.

I chuckled slightly "Well they're right."

"I should probably get back inside," She said so quietly I barely heard her "It'll be a busy day tomorrow."

I nodded in agreement but was saddened as I watched her enter her neighbour's house and be taken into the arms of a tall raven haired woman.

This beauty had lost so much already, now to lose her home and so close to Christmas I felt completely useless.

**Bella's POV:**

My first call the next morning, before the sun had even risen and after two hours of tossing and turning in Angela's guest bed, was me calling my school dispatcher and explaining the situation and how I needed a sub for today's classes but I hoped to be back tomorrow.

I had to wait till business hours until I could call my insurance company to arrange a meeting for that afternoon in Seattle and then my sweet Rosie's vet to make an appointment for the same time so that I could be completely reassured she was really alright. She hadn't left my side since I'd lain down and I drew comfort from that. At least, I wasn't completely alone in all this mess.

My last call was the one I was dreading, Emmett; my 28 year old extremely overprotective bother. Yes I said bother. I'd called him my bother, instead of my brother since I was old enough to speak and it had just stuck.

His wife, Rose, answered and picked up instantly noticing that something was wrong from my voice.

"Bells what's going on? I don't recognize the number you're calling from are you okay?"

"No," I said trying to fight back the tears "I mean physically I'm okay but I'm not okay." I tried to explain before I started blubbering. "Is Em there?"

"Ya he's here," She said and I heard shuffling "You're on speaker now what's up?"

"Hey sis," Emmett's deep voice called out and made me smile.

"There was a fire last night," I said slowly and I heard both of them gasp.

"Are you ok?" Both asked speaking over top of each other "Is Rosie okay? Is there much damage?"

"I'm okay," I reassured "Rose is okay, I think, but we're going to a vet later today just to be sure. My house is destroyed but I'm staying with Angela until I figure something out."

"We're coming home," Emmett said forcefully as soon as I paused.

"Em," I sighed "That's not necessary. I wouldn't be able to stay with you guys in Seattle anyways. I am not missing any more work than I have to. There's nothing you guys can do from here anymore than you can from there."

"But you'll be alone for Christmas," Emmett whined and I knew he was pouting.

"I was going to be alone for Christmas anyways," I reminded him "I'll figure something out and I'll see you guys on New Year's Eve. I promise I will call every chance I get."

"Okay be safe," Rose said "We love you."

"We do love you Bells!" Emmett reiterated and I smiled.

"Bye guys love you too." I hung up Angela's portable phone and with a quick good bye to Angela I picked up the dog carrier Rosie was now sitting in and I headed out the door.

Luckily my car, which had been parked on the street, hadn't been damaged and I had left an extra set of keys at Angela's when I first moved to the street because I had a habit of locking my keys in the car.

Angela had lent me a couple hundred dollars for any fees I may incur today before I got to the bank to get new bank cards made. I was on the highway before I knew it.

As I drove my mind kept drifting back to last night and to Jasper, one of the paramedics had told me his name when she'd noticed me staring after him and I couldn't help but feel drawn like a magnet to him.

I dropped Rosie off at the vet with promises to her that 'mommy would be back as fast as she could'. She looked so pitifully at me I had to walk straight out so I wouldn't fall for the look in her eyes. Damn dog had me wrapped around her tiny paw.

I drove straight to my insurance company and explained to them what had happened.

They assured me they'd get someone on it and I would know by Christmas what was happening. "We're really sorry about your home Miss. Swan. Just remember save all receipts for any replacement fees or if you decide to stay in a hotel and bring them to any subsequent meetings."

I called the vets office after leaving the insurance company on the cell Angela had lent me and was told that they were doing x-rays on my poor pup and wouldn't be done for another hour or two so I ran to the bank and got new cards made before making a stop at one of the local malls.

I picked out some new clothing, not that it wasn't very nice of Angela to lend me clothes but she was SUPER tall compared to me and everything just felt weird.

I bought a few new outfits, some new pyjamas and shoes and a coat because it was damn cold out still.

Finally I got to pick up my puppy who got a clean bill of health thankfully. She looked happy to see me and we started the long trek home.

The only thing I was happy about aside from the fact that Rosie was okay was the fact that I hadn't yet had a chance to move in all my furniture and other belongings into my now burnt down home, like picture albums or my dad's medals of honour- they were all still in storage.

My dad had been killed on duty last year in our normally quiet home town of Forks. Some kid with a grudge had held up my old high school and my dad being the gruff but caring guy he was went into the school. There had only been one casualty that day and it was because of my dad's sacrifice that everyone else made it out safe.

The boy who had been 18 at the time was sentenced to life in prison. That didn't make up for the loss of my dad but it took the sting out of it a little bit.

I drove back to Port Angeles slowly, enjoying the time I had and trying hard to just relax.

**Jasper's POV:**

I couldn't get my mind off the beautiful woman I had met during such a horrible time this morning.

Bella Swan, I had learned, was the first grade teacher at our only elementary school and had only just recently moved from her rented apartment downtown into the small house that was destroyed last night.

I just kept imagining her tear stained face and wishing that I could be the one to make her smile again.

I was supposed to be sleeping as I had another graveyard shift tonight but I just couldn't. I had lain in bed tossing and turning and finally had given up completely on sleep for today.

So I was sitting in one of our few diners at 7 that evening, two hours before my shift was to start, when I saw Bella stroll confidently through the doorway. She was striding past me when I reached out to grasp her wrist gently. I don't have a clue what made me do it but I did and I felt her tense and heard her gasp.

She put her hand on her chest as she turned to face me "Jesus Christ what are you thinking?" She fumed "Scare a girl half to death why don't you!"

She looked beautiful. Her chocolate brown eyes were no longer unfocused but instead filled with rage, that however seemed to soften when she saw me. She was wearing a pale pink tank top underneath a black light sweater and dark wash jeans. Even though she was short she only wore flats. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and the soot smudges were removed from her cheeks.

She was petite but she had curves, curves that most women wished they had.

"I'm sorry," I said blushing slightly "I just wanted to get your attention. Are you eating alone?"

When she nodded I continued on "You can sit with me if you'd like."

"Sure," She said after a second's thought and slid into the booth across from me. "I guess we should formally introduce ourselves." She laughed and I found myself trying to think of ways to get her to laugh again just to hear her beautiful tinkling laughter.

"I'm Jasper Whitlock," I reached my hand across the table and took her warm extended hand in mine.

"Bella, Bella Swan," She said and picked up a menu from where they sat at the end of the table behind the salt and pepper shakers. "Thank you for last night. You will never know how much I appreciated the help."

"It's my job," I laughed and she smiled up at me in response.

"What are you having?" She asked.

"My usual chicken fingers and fries with a side of chocolate cream pie," I recited "And a sprite to drink."

"Hmm," She looked pensive and a furrow appeared between her eyebrows "That sounds good."

We sat and talked about our jobs until the waitress came to take our orders and continued on the same line of conversation until our dinners arrived.

We ate in amicable silence for a little while when I was suddenly overcome with the urge to ask her something so I did. "So are you spending Christmas with your family? With someone special?"

She snorted slightly "If my dog counts as someone special than yes." She smiled at me "If not then no. I'll be alone. Angela goes home to Forks to see her family and my brother and his wife are out of the country until just before New Years."

"Oh," I said deeply saddened that she would be alone.

"How about you?" She asked spooning a piece of pie delicately into her mouth.

"No one special and my family all live in Dallas, Texas." I drawled laying my southern accent on thick "I have to work boxing day night so I can't make the trip down this year for Christmas so we are celebrating in January."

"Big family?" She asked and I noted she was watching me intently waiting for an answer.

"Three sisters, two brothers, all older" I grinned at the thought of my family and then expanded when I saw the spark of interest in her face "Natalia or Nattie is married and has two little ones, James and Nathan. Coraline or Corrie has a little girl, Elizabeth. Rachel has no kids and has no desire to." I told her about my sisters.

She laughed jovially so I continued on about my brothers "Dean has twin girls, Emily and Brooke and is the most amazing dad I have ever seen- his girlfriend left him with the twins a month after they were born and finally my oldest brother is Matthew. He is the typical perpetual bachelor. What's your brother's name?" I was curious to get to know her as much as I could in the hour I had left before work so I ordered us cups of tea to talk over.

"My brother is Emmett and his wife is my best friend Rose. They started dating a couple years ago and got married within months but they've known each other since we were all super little." She smiled fondly at the memories this conversation produced "He's a real estate agent and he's damn good at his job."

"What brought you to Port Angeles?" I asked

"After my dad died I found I couldn't stand the pitying looks I got walking down the street and I really couldn't work in the school where he died, especially since the whole reason he came into the school was to make sure I was okay." She looked a little sad and distanced. "So I moved. Emmett paid me out for keeping our childhood home and I started renting here. I had only moved in last month to the house."

"What are you planning to do?" I asked sincerely curious at her answer. Would she be staying in town? "Are you going to rebuild or buy somewhere else?"

"I'm not sure yet," She admitted looking down contemplatively as her hands wrapped around the warm mug.

I glanced at my watch and noticed it was quarter to nine, I had to get going if I wanted to make it to work on time so I reluctantly announced my leave "While I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you Bella, but I have to work in fifteen minutes so I have gotta hit the road."

"Well," She stood as I did "I'm sad to see this evening end but I should probably head back to Angela's- she's probably wondering where I got off to."

"Do this again sometime?" I asked cautiously and she nodded with a grin that practically lit up the room.

"I'd really like that Jasper," She raised a finger signalling me to wait a minute and fished in her obviously new purse for a pen. She scratched out something onto a napkin and thrust it into my hands "This is my new cell number and Angela's home phone. Call me sometime if you'd like."

I nodded and gave her a quick hug before running off to get to work.

**Bella's POV:**

I had never had so many butterflies raging in my stomach at the same time as I did when I thought about having dinner at the diner with Jasper.

I flopped down onto the sofa bed Angela was letting me use none to gracefully and Rosie pounded into my lap from where she'd been sleeping.

"Where'd you get off to?" Angela asked smiling as she sat next to me.

Angela taught second grade and she and I had gotten even closer than we were when we both lived in Forks.

Rosie had already started snoring in my lap before I responded "I had dinner with one of the firefighters who worked last night. I ran into him at the diner and we sat and talked. I think the only reason we stopped was that he had to go to work."

She smirked uncharacteristically and asked "Do you like him?"

I rolled my eyes but nodded slightly "I think I might. I gave him my new cell number and the number for here."

"Good for you!" She clapped me playfully on the back and we settled down to watch a movie together before hitting the sack.

I awoke the next morning much more rested and got ready to go to work. I loved my job. As a teacher I spent my day teaching Port Angeles little ones how to read, write and do math and it was the best thing in the world.

I had worked at the high school level and didn't find it near as fulfilling as this was.

Angela and I carpooled and raced off to our respective classrooms just before eight o'clock. The half hour gave us just enough time to prepare for the day and me enough time to look over the note from the sub yesterday.

It read:

"_Kids were great. We started James and the Giant Peach like you wanted. Only issue was Deacon threw a fit that you weren't there. Have a good day, sorry to hear about the fire."_

I sighed. Deacon was a slightly troubled child. With his parents split up and arguing bitterly about custody school was his one stable place and I tried my best to keep it that way. I would have to talk to him later about it.

'My' kids came in pretty much bouncing off the walls as was usual for the middle of the week but settled quickly when I told them that the principle had set up a special visitor for later this afternoon.

I hadn't a clue who it was going to be until Jasper walked through the door and looked just as surprised as I must have.

"Bella?" He asked and I burst into laughter. The kids all looked between us enthralled.

"Well," I calmed myself "It's a nice surprise to see you; our principle set up this visit and I didn't realize it was going to be someone from the fire department."

He smiled and set right to business. I settled down in my chair to mark the days spelling tests and half listened to what Jasper was saying about fire safety.

He helped me see them off to their parents waiting arms and cars and we fell into another friendly, not uncomfortable silence.

We both opened our mouths to speak at the same time and cracked up.

"Do you need a ride anywhere?" I asked as he started walking to the sidewalk "Angela is staying late for a parent meeting."

"Sure," He nodded "I was just going to walk back to the station to wait for a ride. My car decided to die today." He shook his head slightly as he thought about that.

"Well," I grinned as I put the car into drive "I have to pick up some groceries and then I'll drop you off at home."

"Sounds like a plan," He nodded decisively as he buckled his seatbelt "Let's rock and roll."

I couldn't help but be mesmerized by the handsome man beside me and realized I was falling for him fast.

**Jasper's POV:**

I was falling for her. I realized this as I sat in her car intoxicated by the scent of what I assumed to be a very light body spray.

It smelt like apples and it made me want to hold her close so that I could perpetually smell it. I'd only known her for a little over 24 hours but I could tell we were fast on our way to being good friends or something more.

We parked in the parking lot of one of the larger grocery chains and I watched as she picked a cart and strode in front of me towards the store. Her hips swayed seductively even though I knew she wasn't doing it on purpose and that made it all the more sexy.

She was wearing a charcoal pencil skirt, a red blouse and red heels. Her hair was pulled back in a loose bun and a pencil was stuck through it absentmindedly.

I followed close my long legs easily making up the ground she'd put between us.

"Bella," I started as we entered the store "I was wondering if you want for Christmas you could come by my place. We could be alone together instead of apart."

She looked over her shoulder at me and I saw that furrow of concentration appear again.

"If you'd don't think I'll be a burden," She said slowly as if she was chewing on every word "I think that would be nice."

"Good," I nodded "Then it's a plan."

And with that our Christmas plans intertwined and we spent hardly a day apart over the next two weeks.

She knocked on my front door at three in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. She came bearing armfuls of desserts and a small wrapped parcel as well as the precious dog I had come to grow fond of, Rosie.

Since we were both alone we decided she would just spend the night and that way we wouldn't wake up with nothing to do or unwrap presents alone. She had dropped off her gifts earlier in the week when we decorated my tree together and they were arranged neatly under it as were mine.

I had gotten her a little present and was glad for it when she handed the wrapped parcel to me and I read her neat cursive.

"_To Jasper Thank you for everything Bella"_

"Thanks Bells," I leaned forward to kiss her cheek and took the rest of her bags from her.

"It smells great Jazz," She grinned at me as she settled on the couch with Rosie in her lap. As I sat next to her I grabbed Rosie who growled lowly at me until she settled in my lap.

"I thought we could watch '_Santa Clause_' before dinner," I said gesturing to the DVD menu that was on my TV.

Bella still smelt like those intoxicating apples but today her hair was down and she wore jeans and a shirt that had Rudolph on the front.

I was wearing jeans and a plaid shirt and had spent most of the day cooking some of my mama's best southern Christmas dishes: Roast turkey with corn bread stuffing, jambalaya, butter milk biscuits, home canned pickles and beets, mashed potatoes.

We watched the movie snuggled close together and halfway through I got the courage to wrap my arm around her and pull her even closer so her head fell against my chest. I rested my chin on her head and grinned when she sighed contently.

"Jasper?" She started as the credits began to roll.

"Ya Bells?" I asked glancing down at her as she gazed up.

"Thanks for letting me come over," She said shyly "I am glad I don't have to be alone on Christmas."

"Me too Bella," I grinned and suddenly I bent down and covered her lips with a gentle kiss. I had shocked both of us with my move but I relaxed as she kissed me back.

We pulled apart when we needed air and she grinned at me "Maybe that house fire wasn't the worst thing that could have happened. It meant I met you."

I grinned and leaned down pecking her lips again. Oh ya this was definitely the start of something exciting and amazing.


End file.
